Light Pollution - What you can do about it
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THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF THE CITY & COUNTY OF CARDIFF PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
Question to Cardiff Council meeting 16/03/2006: Ms Joan Thomas
In view of the fact that some lighting manufacturers would rather promote fashion lighting than restrict light pollution, and light pollution is wasted energy, will the council introduce a policy to restrict lighting that does not conform to the Institute of Lighting Engineers Guidance Notes for the Reduction of Obtrusive Light, Christmas lights excluded?
Reply: Councillor Elgan Morgan Executive Member, Environment & Transport
I would like to thank you for taking the trouble to ask a public question. This is an important issue. Light pollution is generated from a number of sources including street lighting and flood lighting of businesses. There are positive actions that we as a Council can take to help. In relation to our own buildings the Council is developing an Energy Policy which will set out a number of energy reduction targets together with proposals for achieving them. Reducing unnecessary lighting is one of the issues that is considered when assessing potential energy savings in our buildings. Moreover, as part of the Council’s new energy efficiency programme, it is proposed that the maintenance of lighting, particularly in connection with City Hall and County Hall, will include whenever practicable the fitting of low wattage bulbs. This is a crucial area of work that promises to yield real efficiency savings for the Council whilst also serving to reduce light pollution.In terms of the city as a whole, where the Council receives planning applications for lighting (floodlighting, for example), due regard is given to the guidance issued by the Institute of Lighting Engineers in the determination of applications. From a planning policy perspective, Welsh Assembly planning guidance also refers local planning authorities to Institute of Lighting Engineers guidance in respect of illuminated outdoor advertisements. Over and above this, it is important that a proactive stance is adopted to ensure a more sensitive use of lighting and in particular this relates to the deployment and positioning of spotlights. In order to strengthen the Council’s ability to control the design of lighting in new developments, it is the intention of the Council, as the Local Planning Authority to include a section on the control and design of lighting in new Supplementary Planning Guidance covering a range of design issues. This guidance will also have regard to the Institute of Lighting Engineers guidance to which you refer.
Supplementary Question: Ms Joan Thomas
Bearing in mind the timescales involved for the Planning Regulations to be in place and how much of the lighting in question has been installed recently, will the Council refrain in the interim from installing any more, as this is expensive to do (and undo) and, in addition, will the Council consider turning off such lights at midnight or better still, not turn them on at all?
Reply: County Councillor Elgan Morgan
I don’t know of any work that is currently in Planning, but the Supplementary Planning Guidance which I referred to, should be coming in quite soon. It is already out to consultation with the public so the process is quite quick after that. I will also have discussions with officers regarding lights to be switched off.
*** The end of 2006 has been reached and so far there has been no visible action taken ***
Question to Assembly member Andrew Davies
Minister for Enterprise, Innovation & Networks
Related to the Spectacular Trail of Lights , part of the Heads of the Valleys Regeneration Programme
The number and wattage of all the floodlighting lights installed and proposed. What hours will they be on?
How many tourists, do you expect to visit the heritage sites when the lights are on?
What are you doing to protect the dark night skies?
*** ANSWER IS EXPECTED BY 17TH JANUARY 2007 ***